1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of firearms, and more specifically, to an apparatus and method for loading bullets into a bullet carrier of a magazine.
2. Description of the Related Art
A number of inventions have been directed toward solving the problem of making it easier to load bullets into the bullet carrier inside of the magazine cartridge of a firearm. The bullet carrier comprises a spring, and the spring becomes more compressed as more bullets are loaded; thus, it become increasingly harder to insert the next bullet. To solve this problem, various mechanisms have been designed to assist in the compression of the spring of the bullet carrier.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,862,324 (Ball, 1958) provides a clip-side depressor to facilitate the reloading of reloadable cartridge clips that serve as magazines for automatic pistols. The clip-side depressor is slipped over the open end of a cartridge clip with the upper end of the slot of the depressor engaging a pin or button of the slide within the clip. The clip-slide depressor is then pulled longitudinally against the pressure of the spring mounted within the clip body. In this invention, the depressor button or pin projects from one side of the clip body portion through a longitudinal slot formed in the side of the clip body portion; thus, this invention is not entirely internal to the cartridge.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,464,855 (Musgrave, 1984), a device enters the feed mouth of a magazine and depresses the topmost cartridge inside of the magazine. The device also serves as a loading tray to guide the next incoming cartridge into the feed mouth. The device comprises a base with sides and a tray on one end and a handle on the other end. A latch is flexibly mounted to the base by means of a curved spring. This invention differs from the present invention in that it is inserted into the feed mouth of the magazine and does not involve compressing the spring from the base end (or floor) of the magazine. The '855 patent provides a good explanation of the difficulties encountered in loading the magazine of an automatic pistol.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,488,371 (Boyles, 1984) discloses a latch for relieving spring tension or pressure from a follower that slides up and down inside a cavity of a magazine. The latch includes a button that projects outwardly from the side of the follower through a slot in the magazine. The button is depressed (thereby compressing the spring) by a separate “hold down device” that includes a small slot for engaging the button. This invention also differs from the present invention in that it involves an outward projection from the inside of the magazine.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,689,909 (Howard, 1987) and 4,719,715 (Howard, 1988) provide a magazine charger that incorporates a plunger that enters the open (or feed) end of the magazine and is used to move cartridges against the magazine spring. The plunger comprises a plunger spring that causes the plunger to resume its initial position after the magazine is filled with cartridges and the user lifts his finger pressure from the top of the plunger. This invention is different than the present invention because it involves inserting something from the feed end of the magazine rather than the base end.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,872,279 (Boat, 1989) discloses a reloading device in which the magazine housing comprises an elongate slot through which a retracting button projects. The retracting button is engaged with the follower inside of the magazine. A projection extends from the elongate rigid member of the reloading device, and this projection functions as a hand grip means for manual manipulation of the reloading device. A recess on the bottom end of the elongate rigid member is placed around the retracting button, and downward force is placed on the projection. In this manner, the follower is moved downward within the magazine housing, and the magazine spring is compressed. As with the '324 and '371 patents discussed above, the '279 patent involves a button or pin that extends outwardly from the magazine housing and that may easily break or become damaged with use.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,993,180 (Upchurch, 1991) describes a rectangular sleeve with an interior plunging member and an exterior serrated gripping surface. The rectangular sleeve is placed around the feed (open) end of the magazine. A short rigid protrusion extending downward from the inner surface of the ceiling of the rectangular sleeve pushes on the top-most cartridge, thereby creating space for the next cartridge to be inserted. As with the '919 and '715 patents discussed above, this invention involves pushing downward on one of the cartridges in the feed end of the magazine to create room for the next cartridge to be inserted.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,129,173 (Kuykendall, 1992) entails a pin that is removably inserted into a retention hole in the side of the magazine and is used to compress the magazine spring from the top downward. The pin is operated by means of two outwardly extending flanges that are pinched together by the user. One of the flanges moves slidably relative to a retention hole in the slide (or magazine housing) and is fixedly connected to the pin. U.S. Pat. No. 5,309,660 (Blackamore, 1994) utilizes a key that is inserted through a longitudinal slot in the side panel of the magazine and secured with notches spaced evenly along the slot to compress the magazine spring. Both the '173 and '660 patents involve similar mechanisms in that they use pins or keys inserted through the side of the magazine to hold the magazine spring down.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,417,003 (Claveau, 1995) involves a device that is intended to facilitate the loading of bullets into a magazine. The device is a separate piece, one facet of which is a recess that engages with a pin that extends outwardly from the magazine housing and is connected to the follower (or bullet carrier). U.S. Pat. No. 6,178,683 (Williams, 2001) describes a magazine reloader with an L-shaped grip. The magazine is held against the interior of the grip, and a plunger is manually pressed against the follower or against the top-most cartridge in the follower to allow a cartridge to be inserted. These two patents are similar in operation to the other inventions discussed above in that the '003 invention operates via a pin extending outwardly through the magazine housing, and the '683 invention involves a plunger.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,189,254 (Steitz, 2001) provides a band that fits around a user's thumb and from which extends a projection that is used to push downward on the top-most cartridge in the bullet carrier, thereby creating space for the next cartridge to be inserted. U.S. Pat. No. 6,219,953 (Bentley, 2001) involves an apparatus very similar to that described in the '254 patent. The latter invention comprises a digit securing means and a protrusion that allows the user to exert downward force on the top-most cartridge in the bullet carrier.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,257,919 (Farley, 2007) provides yet another vertically extending plunger that exerts force on the top-most cartridge in the bullet carrier, thereby creating space to load the next cartridge. This particular loader is maintained in sliding contact with the magazine by virtue of a magnet mounted on the rear of the loader. U.S. Pat. No. 7,200,964 (Gates, 2007) discloses a firearm cartridge clip in which the compression spring is pulled downward (compressed) via a cable attached to the underside of the follower (a/k/a elevator) element. Two side leaf springs prevent the cartridge support seat from moving downward with the elevator element when the cable is pulled. As cartridges are loaded manually onto the cartridge support seat, the only force that has to be overcome by the user is the force of the side leaf springs because the compression spring has been fully compressed by the cable.
U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 2003/0226306 (Hines) describes a magazine loading and unloading tool that is an ellipsoid planar body measuring about 1.5 inches long and 1/25 inches wide. A slot in the tool is sized to encompass a button extending from a follow in a magazine, as described in connection with several of the inventions discussed above.